Beating the Odds: Developments in Cancer Research

Oncogenes and the networks they are part of play a crucial role especially in the early development of cancers. In general, these are networks that have lost the ability to self-regulate in a steady manner leading to overly active growth and proliferation processes. Leveraging AI technologies can help in finding new ways to uncover oncogenic networks in mesothelioma.

Our bodies are home to many different microorganisms. These all interact with each other as part of a balanced ecosystem. These interactions can be cooperative – helping each other to survive – or competitive – fighting over space or resources. Infectious bacteria often disrupt this balance and cause harm to their microbial neighbours – and to us. By looking at the different ways infectious bacteria interact with the different microbes in our body, we hope to find ways to manipulate these in the future.

Many cancer patients undergo radiation therapy, but some may suffer from long-term side effects. We can't predict who will be affected, but factors like radiation dose, patient medical history (including comorbidities such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, smoking and alcohol habits, patient BMI as well as prior treatment with chemotherapy) and genetic makeup play a role and can increase the risk of developing radiotherapy side-effects. The REQUITE study aims to understand these factors better. The large-scale study involved thousands of cancer patients from multiple countries in Europe and the US. Detailed information about patient clinical and treatment factors, treatment side-effects and genetic data were collected. By analysing this data, researchers aim to gain a better understanding of the underlying factors contributing to radiotherapy side-effects and, therefore, aim to create personalised treatment plans that minimise side effects and improve outcomes for cancer patients.